Culture is moving fast—but not everything that moves is worth following. In this edition of Culture Bites, I’m slowing things down just enough to notice what’s actually sticking. What’s heavy. What matters.
⌘ Make Something Heavy ⌘
Lately, I’ve been thinking about what sticks. Not just in people’s feeds—but in their minds, their lives, maybe even their decisions. We’re creating more than ever, but how much of it actually matters? I came across this essay by Anu Atluru called “Make Something Heavy” and it hit me in the gut. She writes:
“We are creating more than ever, but it weighs nothing.
The internet is full of light things: thoughts, jokes, memes, takes, stories, newsletters. Things that flutter in, flutter out.”
That line stopped me. Because I’ve felt it. I’ve made things that faded quickly, and I’ve made things that lasted. And there’s a difference.
This isn’t a rant about attention spans or algorithms. It’s a quiet, thoughtful invitation to build with intention. To create things that matter to you first. Things that carry weight. Things that might even shift something.
If you’re feeling spread thin or wondering what’s next in your creative work, this one’s worth your time:
I’ve been sitting with this strange feeling lately—like we’re all standing on the edge of something massive, but nobody really knows what it is. Ezra Klein captures that exact tension in a recent conversation with Ben Buchanan, former AI advisor to the White House.
They’re both convinced AGI is coming—and fast. But here’s the strange part: no one can even agree on what it is. Technically, AGI is a system that can perform any cognitive task a human can. Some, like Mo Gawdat (former Google X), argue it’s already here—pointing to models producing research-grade analysis, writing code, and outperforming humans in complex reasoning. Others say we’re still in the shallow end.
The real tension? We’re building something we can’t fully define, hoping we can control it later.
“We are in a competition with China to make an alliance with a force we don’t understand.”
◡◠ 📚 Future-Proofing for a World That Doesn't Exist Yet 📚 ◡◠
Since I've been developing my non-profit L.I.V. (Life is Valuable), I have been thinking a lot about education in a future dominated by AI. Recently, I friend of mine shared a link to Alpha School. Their AI tutor gives students 1:1 personalized education, providing coursework at their individual pace and the appropriate level. Students progress with concept-based mastery and without any knowledge gaps. Could this be the future of education? How do you prepare a kid for a future that hasn’t been invented yet?
According to Future of Education, 65% of today’s students will work jobs that don’t currently exist. That stat alone reframes everything: school, parenting, success. It’s like training for a sport where no one knows the rules—or if there’s even a ball.
MacKenzie Price’s latest piece, “Future-Proofing 101,” doesn’t offer buzzwords. It gives clarity. The future won’t reward test scores or ladder climbing—it will reward agency, creative problem-solving, self-directed learning, and emotional intelligence. These aren’t soft skills. These are survival skills. In a world where knowledge is “on tap,” intellect alone won’t be enough.
“AI is fast, but it is not original… This is where humans win—
if they are trained for it.”
Not by chasing certainty—but by training kids to move with the chaos. Confidence, resilience, and the ability to figure it out will be the real differentiators. And when the machines can do everything but imagine, create, or inspire—creativity becomes not just a skill, but a form of resistance. Grit over GPA. Ownership over obedience. Curiosity over compliance.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how often we move through life on autopilot—making decisions that feel logical, efficient, maybe even smart… without realizing the system we’re operating in is already rigged with invisible settings.
Yancey Strickler (co-founder of Kickstarter) calls these “hidden defaults.” Little things that shape our choices before we even know we’re choosing. His example: city planners often design retail zones to favor right turns—because it’s easier. We don’t question it. We just follow the path of least resistance.
And that’s the point. The biggest hidden default in our culture? The belief that the most rational choice is the one that makes the most money.
“Financial maximization” has become the default setting. But at what cost?
Strickler offers something better: Bentoism—a way of seeing decisions through four lenses:
Now Me. Now Us. Future Me. Future Us.
It’s a framework that helps you slow down and ask: What do I actually value? Who does this choice serve? What will matter later?
It reminded me that the “smart” choice isn’t always the most profitable. Sometimes it’s the inconvenient one. The one that costs more. Takes longer. Feels like a left turn. But it’s closer to who we are—and where we want to go.
White noise has quietly become a major force in the streaming world. From rain and static to the hum of a fan, millions listen to these sounds to help them sleep, focus, or just calm their nervous system. But now, platforms like Spotify and Deezer are cutting back how much they pay for this kind of audio. The argument? It’s not “real” music.
But that depends on how you define value. Is a ten-hour forest recording any less meaningful than a minimalist ambient record? For some, it’s not about songs or structure. It’s about sound that soothes.
And for the people making these recordings—field recordists, sound designers, even conservationists—it’s not just background noise. It’s work, and sometimes even art.
One anonymous producer said it best:
“Maybe white noise is the only way that person can fall asleep.”
Maybe the future of music isn’t about genre or structure. Maybe it’s about purpose.
If you’re curious where the lines are being drawn—and who’s deciding—Kristin Robinson’s deep dive for Billboard is worth the read.
Don't have a Billboard subscription? See what happens when you paste the link here.
This week's takeaway?
We’re living in a time when the pace of change is faster than ever—and the pressure to keep up can be overwhelming. But as these pieces remind us, the real work isn’t about speeding up. It’s about slowing down long enough to ask better questions: What do I care about? What do I want to create? What will actually matter in the long run? Whether it’s raising future-ready kids, protecting what makes us human, or choosing the values that guide us—this moment is asking for more than default settings.
⌘ It’s asking for intention ⌘
That’s it for this week's Culture Bites--bite size updates of the latest trends, useful insights, and occasional deep dives into topics that matter to me. ∆ Catch you next time ∆
With love,
Pete Rango
P.S. If you'd like to reflect on anything discussed in this post please reach out! pete@peterango.com
